Space Science in China

Contents

• Brief history on space research in China

• Summery of achievements after 1957
• Current Mission and plans
• Foresee the next 20 years
• Remarks
 A BRIEF HISTORY ON SPACE RESEARCH IN CHINA

• The earliest record on Haley comet in

613 B.C. and more than 500 (31 for Ha
ley) times comet records afterward
• The earliest record on Sun spots, 28 B.
C.
• The earliest application of the earth ma
gnetism --- the compass, ~500 B.C.
• The gun powder was invented in China,
and in 14th century Wan Hu tested th
e ever first rocket and died with his ma
nned rocket flight
 A BRIEF HISTORY ON SPACE RESEARCH IN CHINA
In the modern time:
• The first optical astronomical telescope a
nd earth magnetometer observation was
installed in Sheshan, Shanghai in 1900
• Ionosphere observation and study since
1930’s in the area of Wuhan
• First cosmic ray observation
for space environment studies insta
lled in Beijing in 1958
 Summery of achievements after 1957
• The first sounding rocket was successfully launched in Feb.
1960 with apogee 8km
• The first satellite DFH-1 was successfully launched in 24-
04-1970
 Summery of achievements after 1957
Space environment exploration and space physics studies:
• SJ-1 1971
• SJ-2 1981
• SJ-4 1994
• SJ-5 1999
 Summery of achievements after 1957
• Double star program was a recent space physics mission w
ith European participations to probe and predict geospace s
torms. The two stars are an equatorial satellite and a polar
satellite used to measure the dynamic processes of the Ear
th’s magnetosphere measurements. TC-1 30.12.2003 TC-
2 25.07.2004 .
 Current Mission and plans
• In 2000 CNSA published its first white paper and declares
that space science is one of its major activities after space
technology and space applications
• Recently, CNSA has formulated next 5 years development
guidelines in space science
----Space exploration towards gain more knowledge in
geo-space environment
----Initialize more new activities in space astronomy
towards universe exploration and other field
----Support micro-gravity and space life scientific
experiments
 Current Mission and plans

• Chang’E –1 represent an important step of Chinese space

activities that will go into deep space
 Current Mission and plans

• Manned Space Program: Lots of intensive space experime

nts were carried out on Chinese manned spacecrafts throu
gh Shenzhou 1-5
 Principles for developing space science in China
• Principle for high priority support: innovative Chinese
projects with important scientific objectives
• Fields with strong support: Sun-Earth environment
detection, solar system exploration and space astronomy
• Fields with sustained support: space environment
utilization, including microgravity, life science and earth-
observation from space
• Measures to encourage: public education and outreach,
international cooperation in space science
 Mid-Long Term Strategic Goals (1)
• Within 15-20 years, build the necessary capacity and facilities f
or carrying out independent research on the Sun-Earth space e
nvironment detection, solar system exploration, and space astr
onomy observations.
• Build the complete space micorogravity and life science resear
ch systems to improve human being’s ability to live in space.
• Based upon the current remote sensing satellites, gradually ac
quire comprehensive capacity for observing the Earth, in order
to build the earth science research system focusing on global c
hanges on the earth.
 Mid-Long Term Strategic Goals (2)
• Using space facilities and platforms for exploration and
research on selected important frontier scientific problems,
gradually establish the Chinese space science system
characterized by a space science satellite series across
multiple science frontiers and disciplines.
• Enhance significantly the research quality and level of space
science, make major breakthroughs in some research
directions, realize the leap into the international science
frontiers, make efforts in achieving the internationally
recognized levels in some major research fields, and produce
important and original science results and solve important
problems for meeting the national strategic needs.
 Short-term goals between 2006-2010 (1)
• Launch the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope satellite in
2010, the first Chinese space astronomy mission, in order
to reach the international level in hard X-ray observation
and research
– Discover about 1000 supermassive black holes
– Detailed studies on pulsars and other compact objects,
the dynamical behaviors and high energy radiation
processes in the strong gravitational fields around black
holes
– Obtain breakthrough results and play a leading role on
black hole research and other related fields.
 Short-term goals between 2006-2010 (2)
• Through France-China collaboration, contribute high energy
detection instruments to the SMESE (SMall Explorer for Sol
ar Eruptions) mission, to be launched in around 2010 for th
e next solar maximum, in order to support the space weath
er and basic solar physics research in China.

These two space astronomy missions, HXMT and SMESE,

will enhance the overall research in high energy astrophysics
in China, as a solid foundation for China’s entry into the era of
multi-wavelength astronomy, which is symbolized and
represented mostly by space astronomy.
 Short-term goals between 2006-2010 (3)
• Continue the support to the development of the key technol
ogies required for the Space Solar Telescope (SST) missio
n, demonstrate the required 0.1 acrsec angular resolution o
n the ground, and eventually launch the satellite when it is r
eady.
• In space physics, based upon the future important scientific
results from the “Double-Star” mission, carry-out preliminar
y research around the “Kua-Fu” mission concept to develop
scientific objectives and key techniques, to be selected befo
re 2010, to complete China’s satellite plan for space physic
s and space environment exploration, in order to layout a s
olid foundation in China for rapid development in this field.
 Short-term goals between 2006-2010 (4)
• In microgravity and life science fields, based on clear tasks
and objectives, select space experiments with important
scientific meanings and application values through careful
evaluations, launch 1-2 satellites with returned payloads, so
that the research in the field will develop from the previous
piggy-back mode into a steady mission dominated new
stage.
• Finally, participations at different levels in international
space missions with important and frontier scientific
objectives and advanced technologies are encouraged, in
order to make China’s space science enter into a broad and
rapid development phase after the next five-year initial
period.
 Space Science Development Strategies in China
• Following the principles of space science development, in
the fields with strong and sustained supports, missions are
selected according to their scientific importance, stimulation
to strategic technologies, urgency and technical maturity
and feasibility; normally smaller and simpler missions are
selected first to minimize risks, but opportunities should
also be grasped for missions with great breakthrough
potentials.
• Within about 20 years, gradually develop satellite series
with different scales, complete China’s transition from a
major space technology country into a major space science
country in the world.
 Space science goals before 2010 and road maps
• Space astronomy and solar physics
• Space physics and solar system exploration
• Space earth science
• Microgravity and life sciences in space
 Space astronomy and solar physics
• Scientific goals: taking the Sun as the closest astrophysical
laboratory and black holes as probes of stellar evolution
and cosmic evolution, carry-out multi-wavelength
astronomy observations from space to avoid the absorption
and disturbance of earth’s atmosphere to most
electromagnetic radiations from space, in order to study
astrophysical objects with different masses and scales.
• Key scientific problems: the early universe, galactic and
large scale structures of the universe, formation of first-
generation stars and galaxies, dark matter and dark energy,
formation of black holes with different masses, formation of
stars and their planet systems including giant and earth-like
planets, understanding the Sun as a star.
 Road Map for China’s Space Astronomy and Solar Physics
Astrophys Res. ： data analysis, theory & computation based on space astronomy data

Capacity building and enabling technology: platform, detector, electronics, telescope

A journey to the Sun and black holes

Education and public outreach: future space scientist, public understanding of science

The Sun as Micro-satellite on explosive Large-satellite

the closest high energy solar activities as a multi-band
laboratory of advanced solar
astronomy & Midrange-satellite on
observatory
astrophysics solar magnetic element

Generation and reconnection of magnetic field, shock, particle acceleration

Jet, stellar evolution, compact object, galaxy formation, cosmic structure…

Black holes Spacelab or small-satellite on

as probes of Large-satellite
explosive high energy phenomena
stellar and as observatory
cosmic Midrange-satellite as finder of on black hole
evolutions Hidden supermassive black holes environments

2005 2010 2015 2020

Space and Solar System Exploration
 Roadmap for Space Physics Exploration
Key Exploration Space ： Solar – Terrestrial Space

Key Problems:
 Solar activities’ mechanisms and their predictions;
 Propagation and evolution of interplanetary disturbances;
 Multi-scale physical processes of the geo-storms ；
 Basic plasma physical processes of the solar terrestrial chain;
 Physics-based numerical space weather forecast modeling;
 Affects of solar storms on human activities;
 Affects of adverse space environment on satellites.
 Roadmap for Space Physics Exploration

MIT

DSP Kuafu Interplanetary Space

2005 2010 2015 2020 2025

Mars Space Environment Exploration

 Primary Subjects to be Studied on the “Eleventh-Five”
Recoverable Satellites

Microgravity Fluid Physics

Microgravity Combustion
Microgravity
Science Space Materials Science
Space Space Fundamental Physics
Environment
Utilization Radiobiological Effect

Space Life
Gravitybiological Effect
Sciences
Biotechnology
 2006-2010 Space Science Plan
• Space science missions
• Capacity building
• Research and development for enabling key technologies
required by future space missions
• Scientific research for future space missions
 2006-2010 Space Science Missions: HXMT
• Launch the Hard X-ray Modulation Telesc
ope satellite in 2010, the first Chinese spa
ce astronomy mission: sensitive hard X-ra
y all-sky survey for discovering highly obs
cured supermassive black holes
– 20-250 keV energy range, 5000 cm2
– Angular resolution <5 arcmin
– Location accuracy <1 arcmin
 2006-2010 Space Science Missions: SST
• Continue the support to the development
of the key technologies required for the S
pace Solar Telescope (SST) mission, de
monstrate the required 0.1 acrsec angular
resolution on the ground, and eventually l
aunch the satellite when it is ready.
– 0.1 arcsec angular resolution
– sub-gauss magnetic field sensitivity
 2006-2010 Space Science Missions

• 1-2 scientific satellites will be launched for obtaining some

results about the important applied and fundamental
research, with the request of using the re-entry module and
orbit module on the retrievable satellite(s) sufficiently .
 2006-2010 Space Science Missions: SMESE
• Through France-China collaboration, C
hina contributes high energy detection
instruments to the SMESE (SMall Expl
orer for Solar Eruptions) mission, to be
launched in around 2010 for the next s
olar maximum, in order to support the
space weather and basic solar physics
research in China.
 2006-2010 Space Science Missions: Kua-Fu
• Carry-out preliminary research around
the “Kua-Fu” mission concept to devel
op scientific objectives and key detecti
on techniques, to be selected before 2
010, and launched around 2012, to stu
dy the Sun-Earth space environment r
esponses to solar activities.
– Kua-Fu A is located at L1 point for i
n situ solar wind measurement
– Kua-Fu B is composed of two satelli
tes located on polar orbit of the eart
h.
 KuaFu
Solar Storm 、 Aurora and Space Weather Exploration

Launch Date: 2012

L1 ＋ polar trip-star project

Solar Observations
In-situ Solar Wind Monitoring

24-hour Aurora Image

 Capacity Building
• Research and development for enabling key technologies
required by future space missions
– General purpose and multi-task space science raw data
handling platform
– On-ground and high altitude common experimental
platform for space astronomy
– Space environment basic database and application
service platform
– Research center for microgravity science
– Research base for space life science and biological
technologies
 Foresee the next 20 years

In the astronomy area:

• Large aperture optical lens in space (1m)
• High resolution x ray imaging technology
• Extreme high energy cosmic-ray observation
• Space VLBI in mm wave
 Foresee the next 20 years

In the space physics and solar system area:

• Comprehensive geo-space exploration missions after DSP
• Interplanetary space solar wind observation
• L1 point in-situ measurement
• Complete monitoring system from the Sun to the ground for
space weather
 Foresee the next 20 years

In Micro-gravity and space life area:

• An integrated space micro-gravity science
system is going to be established primarily
aiming at improving human’s space-living
abilities
• Utilizing the space conditions and platform
, advanced exploration and research will
be performed on the frontier of some
important science problems, followed by
the foundation of a Space Science
system ,which covers several edging
subjects.
 Remarks
• China has long history on space exploration but only in recent years it
becomes a member of the international space exploration club
• Scientists in China are prepared to deliver good ideas on future
programs
• Priorities will be given to the innovative Chinese projects with
important scientific objectives
• Strong supports will be given to Sun-Earth environment detection,
solar system exploration and space astronomy
• Sustained supports will be given to space environment utilization,
including microgravity, life science and earth-observation from space
• Measures will be taken to encourage public education and outreach,
international cooperation in space science
Thank You!